1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure for covering an interconnection of a folding electronic device such as a book-type electronic organizer, and more particularly, to a structure for covering and protecting a sheet-like interconnection provided in the hinge portion of a folding electronic device.
2. Description of the Background Art
A folding electronic device is generally employed in book-type electronic organizers, pocket-type computers and the like (refer to U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,395, for example). A first conventional example of a folding electronic device will be explained hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 1-4.
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a first conventional folding electronic device having its cover member opened. This folding electronic device comprises a main body 1 and a cover member 2. A back plate 3 of main body 1 is connected to a back plate 4 of cover member 2 by hinges 5. Hinges 5 are provided at both ends of back plates 3 and 4 of main body 1 and cover member 2, respectively, so that cover member 2 can be opened/closed arbitrarily with respect to body 1.
Main body 1 is provided with a display 6. Cover member 2 is provided with various operating keys 7. The depression of operating keys 7 will cause appropriate information to be displayed on display 6.
FIG. 2 is a side view of a first conventional folding electronic device of FIG. 1 having its cover member 2 closed. Referring to FIG. 2, cover member 2 is opened or closed by being rotated around rotation axis 8 of hinge 5 in the directions of arrows A or B.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the folding electronic device of FIGS. 1 and 2 with cover member 2 closed. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV--IV of FIG. 3. The structures of main body 1 and cover member 2 will be explained hereinafter with reference to FIG. 4.
Main body 1 accommodates a circuit substrate 1 in a flat cavity formed between an outer cabinet 9 and an inner cabinet 10. Similarly, cover member 2 accommodates a circuit substrate 14 in a flat cavity formed between an outer cabinet 12 and an inner cabinet 13. Circuit substrates 11 and 14 are electrically connected to each other by an interconnection sheet 17 disposed via through-openings 15 and 16 provided in the proximity of back plates 3 and 4 of inner cabinets 10 and 13. A gap of approximately 1 mm is required at the connection portion between the back ends of cover member 2 smoothly and main body 1 to carry out the opening and closing operation of cover member 2 in a folding electronic device having the above-described structure. Such electronic devices had a disadvantage that interconnection sheet 17 is exposed at the above-described connection portion to spoil its appearance when cover member 2 is closed. There was also a disadvantage that interconnection sheet 17 is susceptible to damage. The protrusion of hinge 5 from the profile of main body 1 and cover member 2 also spoils the appearance of the device and inducing the possibility of damage of hinge 5.
A second conventional folding electronic device (disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laying-Open No. 2-46221 (1990)) improving the problems of the above-described first conventional example will be explained hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 5-10.
The second conventional folding electronic device is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 having the cover member opened and closed, respectively. FIG. 7 is a plan view of the second conventional folding electronic device, and FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line VIII--VIII of FIG. 7. Referring to these figures, the second conventional folding electronic device comprises a main body 31 and a cover member 32 coupled by hinges 35 to be opened/closed arbitrarily. A back end 34 of an outer cabinet 50 of cover member 32 is located at an outer position of a rotation center axis 38 of hinge 35. A back end 33 of an outer cabinet 42 of main body 31 is located at an inner position of rotation center axis 38 of hinge 35. Back ends 33 and 34 are provided to oppose each other in a grade separation manner sandwiching hinge 35. The outside wall of back end 34 of cover member 32 has a rounded configuration to comply with the circular arc centered about the rotation of hinge 35. Main body 31 accommodates a circuit substrate 44 in a flat cavity formed between an outer cabinet 42 and inner cabinet 43. Similarly, cover member 32 accommodates a circuit substrate 51 is a flat cavity formed between an outer cabinet 50 and an inner cabinet 49. Circuit substrates 44 and 51 are electrically connected to each other by an interconnection sheet 53 disposed through through-openings 45 and 40 provided in inner cabinets 43 and 49, respectively.
In the proximity of hinge 35 in main body 31, a closure member 41 is provided slidably in a direction at right angles to rotation axis 38 of hinge 35 and in a direction at right angles to the rising direction of back end 33 of main body 31. Closure member 41 has a step-like configuration. The bottom planes of upper step 41c and lower step 41a are slidable and abutted against the upper end plane of back end 33 and the inside wall of outer cabinet 42, respectively. A spring supporter 48 is fixed in outer cabinet 42. A coil spring 55 is disposed between spring supporter 48 and the upright portion 41b of closure member 41. Coil spring 55 causes closure member 41 to be always biased towards back end 34 of cover member 32, so that the leading edge portion of upper step 41c always comes into contact with the back end 34. This causes closure member 41 to move with the change of location of back end 34 of cover member 32. Closure member 41 slides to shield the gap formed between back ends 33 and 34 according to the magnitude thereof.
Such a cover structure in which closure member 41 slides into main body 31 requires space where closure member 41 is withdrawn inside main body 31. Space is also necessary to provide coil spring 55 at one end of closure member 41. This results in a folding electronic device wider in the breadthwise dimension, with the problem of greater space inside main body 31.
Because closure member 41 slides against the inside surface of main body 31, disturbing noise may be generated due to friction when there is error in dimensions of each component and unbalance in assembly. This results in poor usability.
There is also a problem that the assembly is complicated because closure member 41 and coil spring 55 are separate components to be coupled and incorporated within main body 31. If this incorporation is not carried out appropriately, the above-described disturbing noise may be generated.